Silence of the Songbird
by Evenidontknow
Summary: They found her in the deep darkness of Mirkwood and she has not said a word since. When a mysterious and mute girl is found by the elves all who meet her are puzzled by her. Where did she come from? How did she wind up in Mirkwood? And, most of all, will this little bird ever sing again?
1. A Wail in the Forest

This is my first ever attempt at fan fiction so here goes nothing!

**Disclaimer: **I only own the characters that are OC such as Balthoron but other like Legolas are 1000% Tolkien's. usually if you recognize it it isn't mine. So sad. But yeah.

Please try to be nice and enjoy the story!

The forest was dark and any sound made within the wood seemed to be muffled, as though being heard through a thick divide. The only thing that broke the stillness was the barely there noise of the patrol of thirty or so elves that passed through, both in the dark branches and on the leaf strewn ground.

The elves all carried bows and arrows on their backs or in their slim white hands. The occasional flash of blond braids or varying shades of brown locks of hair offered the only color to be seen in the gloom of Mirkwood. They all wore expressions of concentration mingled with the slightest hint of anxiety. Even though every elf on this patrol had seen their share of battle it was becoming more and more likely patrols would return to Thranduil's halls an elf or two short. The thought that that missing elf could be them kept them all wary on their trek.

At the head of the group was an elf clad in green and browns with fine armor that was the give away to his position as a captain. His chocolate. Brown hair was done in warrior braids to keep the silken locks from his pale, strong features. His step was sure and his keen eyes bright as he led his troop through the wood.

" Captain Balthoron," another elf with ebony hair to the right of the captain said, " perhaps it is time we turned back to the stronghold." The elf looked at the captain hopefully as did all the others on the patrol. They dearly loved their captain but sometimes he got to caught up in the love of his job and they wound up staying out in the forest much longer than they intended.

" Perhaps Tethegel. We have already traveled as far as we were ordered." Balthoron ran strong yet slim white hand over his face.

As they elves began to turn back with expressions of relief an unnatural sound was picked up by their sharp pointed ears.

" Did you hear that?" Someone whispered in the back.

" A young ones wail!"


	2. Finding

The elves followed the sound as fast as they could silently move. A question ran through everyone of their minds as fast as their feet. What was a pen neth doing in Mirkwood? The forest was dangerous for even seasoned warriors, the dangers for a young one were as numerous as the gray trees.

Balthoron and his patrol stopped just at the edge of a small clearing. Another sound came to their ears and this sound spelled trouble. After all it is very hard to misplace the laughter of orcs.

" Yrch!" Tethegel hissed into Balthoron's ear. The patrol ground their teeth and through the trees shot invisible glares of the purest loathing. This was their forest and the infestation of scum needed to be stopped! Drawing blades and bows the elves awaited Balthoron's signal, itching for the battle as adrenaline coursed through their veins. Balthoron prepared himself as well but he did not forget about that wail that had summoned them to this spot in the first place. He scanned the mass of gray skinned orcs clad in rusted metal armor huddled in the center of the clearing. The orcs attention seemed to be held by more than just the light of their camp fire.

" Oh come on then! Squeal!" Shouted a particularly grotesque orc with mottled purple skin and vicious pointed teeth. His attention was trained on a form curled into itself at the center of the group. From his vantage Balthoron could just make out a quivering head of brown hair. The orc raised a hand high into the air, making to strike the shivering creature at the center when a cry went up from Balthoron and the charge began.

Balthoron and Tethegel stood close once the fighting began and covered each others backs just as they had done for nearly a century. An orc ran at Tethegel from behind with its scimitar raised to cut the elf in two but the orc was quickly relieved of it's head by Balthoron's shining sword. Arrows from the archers rained down into the fray, never missing their mark. Despite his best efforts Balthoron lost track of the person that had been in the middle of the orc pack. Right now it was the best he could do to keep himself and his companions alive.

After about another half an hour the orcs had all been slain and the elves victorious. Thanks to the element of surprise they had had, the orcs were ill prepared and not ready for the attack. Only minor injuries such as a few shallow slashes and bruises were sustained. Balthoron surveyed his troops with an experienced eye. Two elves sat together near the fire and wound clean white bandages around the others wounded arm. Another elf held a cloth to a cut above his brow. Tethegel had pulled out the bruise ointment he carried and was treating a small line of elves.

When bruises had been treated, cuts wrapped, and orc bodies burned Balthoron still did not see the person from the center of the pack. No where did Balthoron see the brown hair that had previously been surrounded by the foul orcs. He began to fear that perhaps , if it was indeed a child, they had run off into the forest in fright. "Segalad!" He called. An elf with light brown hair stepped forward to the call of his captain. "Send out searchers for the one we heard earlier. I saw something in the midst of these yrch before the battle and I want them found." With a nod Segalad began to gather a few elves and fanned out through the clearing.

Balthoron even went out to search. He was not going to leave a young one in the forest alone. The light began to fade as the sun began to sink low in the sky the first clue to where the mystery young-ling went was found. A long smear in the muddied ground followed by a series of hurried footprints. Obviously the young one had run off once the fighting began. Though unclear the prints were distinct enough for Balthoron and Telegenic to follow. The prints led out to the edge of the clearing and seemed to disappear at a large tree.

"They must have climbed!" Stated Tethegel. He leaped up into a branch and began to ascend the tree. Or not, thought Balthoron. He carefully eyed the base of the tree and walked about it a few times. Suddenly he stooped and with a great sweep of his arm moved a pile of moldering leaves. The tree was in fact hollowed at the base and a small opening was seen. Balthoron leaned down and studied the opening. Long marks like the one found previously could be seen at the opening. Cautiously Balthoron flattened out on his stomach and slowly began to ease his head and shoulders through the rotting entrance. And there, not a foot in front of him was a pair of blue eyes that stared unblinkingly right back.


	3. Miss Me Not

Balthoron continued to stare into those blue eyes that swam with fear and defiance. He had been expecting to find the child in the tree but that did not keep him from feeling a little surprised. He heard the child breathing shakily and he feared that they might be injured. What he needed to do was get out of the tree. But how?

" Well met little one, my name is Balthoron of Mirkwood." Balthoron said. he waited for an answer but received none. " Will you not come out of here? Why not come with me and be among friends? We have food and clean water." The last remark got a stir from the child. Balthoron kept his anger down as he thougt of how long the orcs had starved this poor child. " Come now, I swear to keep you safe." Balthoron said, and he meant it.

Ever so slowly he could more sense than see the child nod assent. " Alright, I will leave first, but I will stay just outside." He said before easing out of the hollow. What had once seemed a pale dusk now appeared as a brilliant sunset to his light starved eyes that were forced to once again make the adjustment. Tethegel had descended from the tree after seeing his own guess was wrong and watched as his captain made his way out of the tree. His amusement at seeing the stern and dignified captain slither across the ground on his belly vanished however as he watched someone else come out after him.

A curtain of dirty brown hair hung past thin, bony shoulders. A face with bloodless lips and prominent cheekbones peeked nervously out at them. A rough brown dress fell just above bony ankles and bare and bleeding feet. Everything about the girl standing in front of the Elven patrol screamed famine and suffering. She was a child of Man, the small ears poking out of her dirt colored hair proved it. All in all she looked to be fifteen summers old. Balthoron felt his heart go out to the girl I front of him. His anger rose again when he saw how painfully thin she was and how her feet were cut and how the bruise across her face was shaped like an orcs hand.

The girl eyed every elf, tree, and leaf suspiciously before turning expectant eyes towards Balthoron. Food. It had been promised and she would make sure she got it. Balthoron realized this and giving himself a small jolt turned to an elf near him to ask for the provisions. Between three elves, water, dried meat, and dried fruit had been mustered together. Holding it out to the girl Balthoron smiled as warmly as he could manage. Comforting people was not a specialty of his.

The girl snatched the offerings quickly and held them close to her thin chest. Casting her eyes around again she realized every pair of eyes on every elf was trained on her. Embarrassment rose from her chest to color her cheeks. She ducked her chin and tried to hide behind her hair. She wanted to eat, Valar, she wanted to eat, but not like she was an animal being observed.

Balthoron furrowed his brow in confusion at her sudden withdrawal. What had he done? He looked around to see if any of his comrades would clue him in. That was when he saw that all eyes were on the girl. Of course! She did not want to be stared at as she gulped down food for the first time in Elbereth knew how long. Quietly he cleared his throat, and to the few elves who heard him and turned to look at him he gave a pointed look that said _walk away. _The ones who had received this look knew their captain enough to obey. They touched the elbows of their neighbors and began to casually make themselves needed elsewhere until only Balthoron, Tethegel, and the girl remained.

Chancing a look up the girl saw that now she was no lounger the center of attention. With only two elves staring at her she felt embarrassed, but her insane hunger forced her to look this over. She sat heavily on the ground and ripped the cork out of the water skin. Bringing it to her lips she gulped the clean fresh water down. Oh how good it was! Her throat had felt like sand for weeks, the dirty Orc draught not enough to sate her thirst. As soon as the water skin left her mouth she bit off a big chunk of the dried meat. It was all she could do not to moan out loud in relief of having food!

As the girl lost herself in her rescuing meal Tethegel talked with Balthoron. He was not sure what their next course of action would be. Would they try to bring this girl home? Would they bring her with them to the Elven Halls? It was definitely time to decide as the sun was throwing out the last of its usable light.

" Captain, what now." Tethegel asked. He never beat around the bush if he did not have to.

"I suppose her family will be praying for her return." Balthoron said as he watched the topic of their conversation. He was apprehensive about bringing the girl straight to her home. The forest was dangerous at the best of times in daylight but at night it was down right deadly. The only logical decision was to...

" Take her back to the palace. That is what we must do. I will ask her if she lives close to here and after consulting with the King I think we can return her home." Balthoron said with finality. Tethegel nodded his head in agreement. He wondered though, how would the King react to this dirty, bruised girl. Balthoron wondered the same thing as he walked towards her.

" Hello again." He said as he sat beside her. She was mostly done with the food and what she did have left she now nibbled slowly and almost thoughtfully. " How was your meal." Balthoron asked her, trying to evade the impending conversation. She smiled at him in answer. She had not yet said a word, Balthoron realized. He was not truly surprised, he had encountered people that did not speak for days after an Orc attack. But those people had not had the clear eyes and normality this girl had. He pushed the puzzling thoughts aside for later. He had a job to do after all. First he needed to know, who was missing this little girl?

" Little one, where is your family."

The reaction those six words received answered his earlier question.

No one was missing this little girl. Not anymore.


End file.
